Success stories from the life science industry
Design Studio Services help Cortigenix commercialise a new test providing early warning of potential health and fertility issues
In this example we share how Design Studio Services supported Cortigenix to go from scientific cortisol understanding and how it is tested into full commercial product launch.
200 blood or saliva cortisol tests. The sample for the test can be done easily from home, without clinical supervision, and the result provides an indication of one’s general health over that 3month period.
Scientists have hailed a breakthrough new test that can provide an early warning of overall general health as well as fertility issues by detecting levels of the hormone cortisol accrued over several months using a tiny sample of hair.
Working with Dr Adam Massey (CEO of Cortigenix, and researcher at the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Medicine.) we recognised that this product is an important opportunity for individuals to monitor their own health markers, as part of the global drive for preventative medicine.
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid steroid hormone that is crucial for maintaining overall health including regulating the immune system, brain health, controlling blood pressure and reproductive function. Cortisol levels fluctuate throughout the day so it can be difficult to assess levels of the hormone over longer durations. Existing blood, saliva and urine tests only provide a short-term indication of cortisol levels and involve taking many samples over the course of a day, but even with many samples taken over time these tests are limited for understanding long-term health. Cortigenix’s new Cortisol Over Time (COT) test detects levels of circulating cortisol built up in the body and brain over 3 months; With just a few strands of hair, we can now track cortisol levels that have accumulated in hair strands over the previous 3 months – which is the equivalent of needing over
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“We don’t know we are at risk of a health problem until a condition is manifest or we begin experiencing symptoms. And at that stage it can be more difficult to reverse declining health when starting from the inception of disease. We believe that fundamental to preventative health is to be able to detect health problems as early as possible. This way, we are shifting from treating ill health to preventing it in the first place. Working with design studio services has helped create a brand and product that will help us to deliver a breakthrough in preventative healthcare and start to realise the potential of our Cortisol test and the cortigenix brand.”
Dr Adam Massey Cortigenix CEO
So we looked to create a brand and language that reflected knowledge and support; Understanding that the product use is a proactive one, looking to maintain and optimise inner health. This empowerment of the general public to take control of their health via an early indication – before symptoms may present - of how cortisol and lifestyle factors may be affecting long-term health such as stress related health conditions, impaired immune function, cognitive decline, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and fertility problems. To ensure the test could be successfully executed we created easy opening packaging that gave a premium feel. With easily accessible contents and instructions. This was complemented with website design / simple result delivery mechanisms
and communicating complex mechanisms and insights into how the body is effected by cortisol and support in relation to the outcome of the result, in a simple and engaging way. Design Studio Services is now working with cortigenix to get the message out about this breakthrough test – helping as many people as possible to get the benefit of proactive healthcare!
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